Consumer Prices in France,
Germany Show Modest Rises

FRANKFURT -- Consumer price reports from the euro zone's two largest economies suggest annual inflation again hit the European Central Bank's 2% limit in May.

French consumer prices rose an annual rate of 1.5% in May, more than the expected 1.4% rise and up from 1.3% in April. The price increase was mainly due to a 1% monthly climb in energy prices, which had dipped 1.2% in April.